Judge Denies Motion in Gun Store Burglaries Case

CLEARFIELD – A DuBois woman who allegedly assisted her husband in burglarizing local gun stores is asking for her bail to be lowered.

Nicole Elaine Moore, 24, is charged with criminal conspiracy/burglary, criminal conspiracy/criminal trespass, criminal conspiracy/theft by unlawful taking, criminal conspiracy/receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy/criminal mischief and theft and receiving stolen property in relation to the burglary of L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop in DuBois and two burglaries of Bob’s Army & Navy Store in Clearfield. She remains in jail in lieu of a total of $125,000 bail.

A motion to lower her bail was discussed during motions court recently. Her attorney, Douglas Campbell, told President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman that Moore’s mother said she’s always worked and cared for her children. She can’t believe Moore got herself into this type of situation. Moore lives in the area and is not a flight risk, he added.

First Assistant District Attorney Beau Grove argued that due to the seriousness of the charges Moore is a flight risk. There was a lengthy investigation in this case during which she didn’t come forward, Grove stated and she has not signed a plea agreement. Grove asked that the motion be denied.

Ammerman agreed she is facing a lengthy sentence and then denied the motion.

Moore’s husband, Brett Andrew Moore, 25, is charged with criminal conspiracy/burglary, burglary, criminal trespass, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, possessing instruments of crime, criminal mischief and firearms not to be carried without a license. His trial is scheduled for the end of the month. He also remains incarcerated.

According to the affidavit in the DuBois case, on Aug. 28, someone broke into the L.B. Toney’s Alamo Gun Shop by smashing out the glass in the front door and then smashing an interior door. Once inside, the actor removed nine handguns. A security camera captured a man, whose face was covered by a hoodie, using a hammer to gain entry. He then broke through the interior door and smashed a display case. He put the guns in a duffel bag and fled.

A joint investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms established the Moore couple as suspects after three, different witnesses told authorities that both Brett and Nicole Moore had told them they had committed the crimes.

On Jan. 27, all law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation took the Moore’s into custody and interviewed them.

When asked about the burglary, Nicole confessed she had driven her husband to and from the business. She then drove him to a location out of the county where the guns were sold for money and drugs. Brett Moore also confessed when he was asked about the crimes. He said he received $1,000 in cash and eight grams of heroin for the guns from the Alamo store.

The first Clearfield burglary occurred shortly before midnight Sept. 8, when someone broke through the glass front door of Bob’s Army & Navy Store on East Market Street, according to a previous Courier-Express article.

Security video shows a vehicle stopping in front of the business. An individual got out of the vehicle, smashed the glass in the front door, entered through the hole in the glass and smashed the glass in a display case containing numerous handguns. He then removed seven guns valued at more than $5,000.The suspect went back out through the front door, got back into the vehicle and drove off.

Shortly after 11 p.m. Sept. 12, the store was burglarized again. Video shows a vehicle approaching the front of the store. The suspect got out of the vehicle and used what appears to be a hammer to smash the glass in the front door. This time he removed seven guns valued at more than $3,700.

In addition to the stolen weapons, 35 guns inside the display case were damaged by broken glass embedded in rubber hand-grips, scratches and nicks. Total losses and damage in the two Bob’s Army & Navy store break-ins is estimated at $19,875.

Nicole Moore allegedly told police that she agreed to help her husband commit the burglaries to sell the guns for cash and drugs. She said she drove the vehicle in all three incidents.